34 / matters magazine / holiday 2018 W here might you find a handmade tie, a wood- en cutting board and a hand-beaded necklace that, at first glance, looks like flags, but, upon closer inspection, is really a laundry line of clothing, complete with un- derwear? If you’re looking for the perfect gift – and maybe you don’t even know what that means – you’re sure to find it at the Bizarre Bazaar. The annual event takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The Woodland in Maplewood on December 2. Studio B, a non-profit organization based in Ma- plewood and South Orange, produces this hyper-lo- cal event, bringing together area artists to share their talents, their goods and their holiday cheer. “It’s a celebration of creativity, and it’s made that much more exciting because so much of it is locally made,” says Marcy Thompson, Studio B Honcho and co-founder. (Thompson and fellow co-founder Jenny Turner Hall call themselves “honchos” instead of “directors” or “bosses” because, Thompson ex- plains, “The world needs more women honchos.”) Studio B developed the Bizarre Bazaar to offer an outlet for the work of local visual artists and crafters, allowing attendees to purchase great art in their own back yard. “Your neighbor might have made an absolutely gorgeous quilt or a pair of earrings,” says Thomp- son. “That connection to place makes this event so special.” Thompson estimates nearly 80 percent of the ven- dors call Maplewood or South Orange their home, with another 15 percent coming from nearby Essex County towns such as West Orange and Montclair. The remaining live in the greater New Jersey region. Each year Studio B accepts 40 artists to showcase and sell their work at the Bizarre Bazaar. A panel of reviewers dedicated to the event painstakingly pores over the applications, striving to strike a balance be- tween bringing back favorite artists year after year and making room for new ones. “We’re really just trying to make as little space as possible between great work and those who appreci- ate great work,” says Thompson. Where Creativity and Community Come Together The 2018 Holiday Bizarre Bazaar offers something for everyone BY CHERYL SILVER L-R: Josie Dakers-Brathwaite in red hat (photo by Gregory Bur- rus); Marcy Thompson and Jenny Turner Hall of Studio B (photo by Sasha Erwitt); Joy Yagid of Joy Yagid Photography; Arnge Design's Mike Dawson (photo by Pete Mars).